Do People Caught with Pot Pay Their Civil Citations?

A common criticism from those opposed to decriminalization of marijuana in Massachusetts is that the law, passed comfortably as a ballot initiative in 2008, is toothless.

Which is to say, there's not a lot that law enforcement can do to make the doobs abide.

Under Mass General Law chapter 94c, section 32L, possession of one ounce of marijuana is decriminalized and punishable only as a civil offense. For offenders age 18 and older, that means a $100 fine and turning over their stash. And for those under 18, the penalty also includes completion of a drug awareness program and parental notification.

Where many critics take exception with the law is in its failure to require the civilly cited to correctly identify themselves and to provide a way to enforce payment of the levied fine. This runs counter to most other civil citations, like minor traffic violations, where stiffer secondary penalties compel people to pay up.

From the time the law was implemented in 2009 until the end of 2012, the Bedford Police Department issued 48 bylaw violations for possession of marijuana, according to Det. Lt. Scott Jones. 

Of the 48 citations issued, 26 payed the $100 citation to the Town Clerk's office, approximately 54 percent, according to Jones.

While the majority of the citations issued were to males in their late teens and early twenties, the oldest person a bylaw violation was issued to was 58 years old and the youngest 16 years old.

Of the 48 bylaw violations issued, 34 were issued to Bedford residents, with only three issued to females, according to Jones. 

Four people were repeat offenders, receiving two citations, according to Jones.